The Morristown private school told alumni by email that it found cases of molestation by Thad Alton, the Pingry teacher later arrested for molesting boys.

A Morristown prep school has alerted alumni that at least two former students now say they were molested by Thad Alton, a teacher who was later convicted of sexual assault on young boys.

The Peck School hired an outside firm to investigate Alton's time at the school, in the late 1970s, to see if he molested students. The move was prompted by word that several former students of Alton's previous employer, The Pingry School, were alleging abuse by the then-popular Scoutmaster and teacher.

Peck told alumni that Alton had nothing but "positive job references" when he was hired, fresh from six years at the Short Hills Country Day School, which merged with Pingry. 

"Records related to Alton's hiring did not contain any signs of previous issues or concerns," stated the email, signed by Andrew C. Delinksy, Head of School, and Edward J. Foley IV, president of the board of trustees.

Peck did not provide details about the two men who came forward, other than to say it involved "inappropriate sexual touching or sexual assault." Alton was at Peck for the 1978-79 school year, when he taught English, ran a sixth-grade homeroom, and coached soccer. 

Peck officials also conceded that since investigators were limited in their knowledge to which students from that era were willing to come forward, there may be other boys who were victims of Alton.

His Pingry accusers say Alton turned Boy Scout camping trips into an opportunity for juvenile sex games that groomed his victims for later one-on-one abuse. 

Eventually Alton was charged in Essex County with three counts of lewdness for playing strip poker and engaging in mutual masturbation with 12-year-old boys. He left the state in 1980, landing in the Adirondack region of New York State, where his family had summered. It was there he was charged with more serious crimes against boys in 1990, and sentenced to five years in prison.

He's now 70, and lives in Lower Manhattan. He could not be immediately reached for comment. He is a lifetime registered sex offender, but has not been charged with any crime since his release in 1995.

His Morristown attorney, Marcy McMann, had no comment about the newest allegations.

The timing of events points to Alton moving from Pingry to Peck under a cloud: The strip poker incident took place in April of 1978, while he was still teaching at Pingry. Charges weren't filed until the summer of 1979, after he had completed his first year at the Peck School. When Peck learned of the charges, school officials immediately fired Alton. The email to alumni indicates it does not appear Peck provided Alton with any letter of reference.

In the Peck email, Delinsky and Foley say that while investigators learned many of the children had heard rumors about Alton, none of the adults had. Nor had any adult been told of any problem with Alton at the school.

They urged anyone with knowledge to contact Helen Cantwell of the firm of Debevoise & Plimpton, via hcantwell@debevoise.com or (212) 909-6312.

Police unit has seized more than 90 guns since January, according to public safety director

(File photo) 

Members of the police division's Special Enforcement Bureau were patrolling in response to complaints about drug sales in the area when they spotted Kareem Bailey involved in a narcotics transaction, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Bailey fled on foot, but was quickly captured, according to authorities. He was arrested with a loaded .25-caliber pistol, 49 vials of heroin, three vials of crack cocaine and cash, Ambrose added. Authorities said the heroin and crack cocaine has a street value of more than $500.

In announcing the arrest, Ambrose noted the Special Enforcement Bureau has seized more than 90 guns since January.

Authorities probe violent car wreck after Hillside police chase

"This group of officers truly believe in ensuring the safety of our citizens by getting the guns and the criminals that use them off of our streets." Ambrose said. "So far this year, shootings are down approximately 20 percent, but more importantly there are 50 less shooting victims."

Bail faces charges, including weapons offenses, resisting arrest by flight, and drug possession within 1,000 feet of Boylan Street School.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Officials, activists brought to table at federal seminars

There was a time when Newark Mayor Ras Baraka protested against the city police. Now, he is charge of them.

There was a time when U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman investigated and sued the Newark police. Now, he is "partnered" with them.

Larry Hamm has railed against police brutality for 25 years. Now, he sits with law enforcement leaders, lending his voice to ways to improve police-community relations.

For these men, the recent surge in concern over distrust and animosity between police and African-Americans is nothing new.

What's new, as Baptist bishop Jethro James, of Newark, said, is that there are "substantive conversations at the highest level of government."

He means from the president on down.

On Friday, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch came to Newark on the final leg of President Barack Obama's "National Community Policing Week" tour, which gathered police and community leaders together in several cities to discuss ways to de-escalate tension between cops and black communities, and find long-term ways to build trust.

Lynch and Fishman hosted about 75 police leaders and activists, prosecutors and pastors, elected officials, including Baraka, and policy makers as they took part in that conversation.

"While some of us were once on opposite sides, history has converged us to work together at this time," Baraka said in his opening remarks.

Newark -- and New Jersey -- have history here, good and bad.

Where to begin?

In 1967? When the arrest and beating of a black cab driver with the everyman name of John Smith led to the riots/rebellion that scarred the city for decades to come?

In 1991? When Hamm and the group he started -- People's Organization for Progress (POP) -- took to the streets to protest a Newark and Hillside police shooting that left two occupants of a stolen van dead, one of whom was a pregnant 16 year old.

Or in 1998? When concerns about New Jersey State Police "racial profiling" came to a head after three basketball players were shot during a traffic stop on the New Jersey Turnpike? 

Or when concerns about a multitude of unanswered Newark police brutality claims opened the door to scrutiny by the ACLU and Fishman seven years ago?

"All of us (in the room) are acutely aware we have real issues of trust between police and the community," Fishman said in his opening remarks, but added that his Newark and New Jersey "partners" brought "hope and commitment for a new vision."

And this is where the good history comes in.

Newark -- and New Jersey -- were actually described by Lynch as "model jurisdictions" for police-community relation initiatives that other parts of the country are just waking up to. The N.J. State Police culture was completely overhauled after the federal government began monitoring their stops and arrests in 1999. Ten years later, the state police came out from underneath that federal oversight.

The Newark Police Department's federal oversight is just beginning. A consent decree -- which is an agreement by the city to allow federal oversight and to meet certain standards -- just went into effect this summer, but has been six years in the making. In that time, the city has moved to correct what Fishman called "serious deficiencies" in police response to citizen complaints and internal affairs investigations.

Fishman credited both Baraka and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose as being "very willing partners" for change in police ranks. Much of it was already happening before the consent decree, including police and community meet-and-greets; minority recruitment; help from clergy in tense situations; creation of a civilian police complaint review board; and a greater emphasis on quality-of-life enforcement as a way for cops to engage with the public.

Lynch said yesterday it is time for the country to "move the debate past the denials." James, who was the New Jersey State Police chaplain during the racial profiling days, agreed.

"Now, we're sitting at the table of truth and wherever the truth takes us, let the chips fall where they may," said James, who is the social issue adviser to 89 Baptist congregations in Newark and North Jersey.

Those truths, James said, are not just about police transparency, but also about community responsibility.

"If we want the police to be more respectful and law-abiding, we have to demand the same things of ourselves," he said. "We are obligated to raise our children to be law-abiding citizens. We cannot harbor fugitives. We cannot have guns and drugs coming into our homes."

Newark was the last stop in a busy week for Lynch, who held a forum in Detroit, while her deputy, Sally Yates, held forums in Denver and Atlanta.

On Thursday, Lynch announced $12 million in funding to implement national community policing efforts and $7 million to develop strategies for communities dealing with cases of "high-profile violence," such the recent shooting in Charlotte.  

In New Jersey on Wednesday, state Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced a new diversity training program for all New Jersey officers, similar to training Lynch has put in place for agents and officers of the FBI, ATF, DEA and U.S. Marshals Service.

At the seminar on Friday, Ambrose announced a $382,000 federal grant that will put body cameras on every officer and video cameras in every cruiser in his police department.

"It's about time," he said. "But let's face it. It's because of technology. Everybody has these cellphone cameras and now people can see what we've been protesting for years."

Each Monday, Hamm and POP are outside Fishman's office, asking for federal investigations of several police shootings that date back more than a decade.

He lists the names of black men killed in Trenton, Irvington, Lyndhurst, Newark and Bridgeton.

"I'm encouraged by what I'm hearing," he said. "But the reforms have to go much deeper. We're still not getting justice in some cases because police aren't being charged. When police start being charged, police brutality will end."

Do you know this man?

NEWARK -- Police are asking the public to help them identify a man they believe was involved in an aggravated assault early Saturday morning.

Newark police say shortly after 1 a.m. a man nearly struck three people with his vehicle in a parking lot in the area of Irvington Avenue and Manor Drive.

The man exited his car and punched one of the people, police said. He then drove away with a woman on Manor Drive.

Police say this vehicle was used in an aggravated assault early Saturday morning. (Newark Police Department) 

Police described the car as a dark-colored sport utility vehicle, possibly a Honda Pilot or Passport. Police said the suspect is a black male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, with long dreadlocks. He was wearing a long, green coat, a hat, blue jeans and black shoes at the time of the alleged assault, according to police.  

Authorities asked anyone with information to call the Newark Police Department's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The $100K price tag was hefty, but the Montclair couple says every penny was worth it

N.J. Home Makeover is a regular feature on NJ.com. To submit your renovation for consideration, email home@starledger.com with your full name, email address, phone number and town/city. Attach "before" and "after" photos of what you renovated.

Sometimes the person who buys your old house does so much good with it that you wish they'd sell it back to you.

That could have happened to Jason Blau and Kate Rohmann. But they didn't make an offer to buy back their former Bloomfield home. They called on their buyer to help update their new house.

Martina Servos, owner of Lemon Grass Interior Architecture and Design, purchased the couple's Bloomfield home in 2012, and under the threat of Hurricane Sandy, Jason Blau returned to his former house to advise Servos where water might enter the basement. With the warning visit, Servos offered a full tour of the renovated home.

"It looked great," said Blau, who works in construction management. The three-month makeover made such a strong impression that he and his wife, who works in television production, hired Servos several months later when they decided to unite the kitchen, dining room and living room of their Montclair home into what Blau described as "one big family room."

The first floor of the 1969 split level would be fully renovated. "We wanted a kitchen that is open to the rest of the house," Rohmann said.

So, two walls came down to open up the kitchen, and there was a realization that the ceiling could be higher.

"When we took the walls down, we became aware that we could add about two feet to the old ceiling height, which made it really nice and airy, " Servos said.

The kitchen area is now outfitted with two styles of Scavolini cabinetry from Italy, complemented by stainless steel appliances from Fisher & Paykel, including a double oven. The kitchen's aging white tile floor was replaced by red oak. The new floor meshed seamlessly with that of the original living room and dining room after they were stripped and refinished with the new stain.

While the bulk of the Italian cabinetry has a finish pattern that resembles weathered wood, one large cabinet with a white lacquered finish on its double doors holds plates, glasses, serving pieces and other kitchen wares.

The brilliant white helps brighten the kitchen, and the new cabinetry's lower shelves allow the couple's boys, ages 7 and 10, to more easily handle their daily chores. 

"You put the dishes up in high cabinets, and then the kids can't help," Rohmann said, discussing their cabinetry choice. "They couldn't have that sense of accomplishment."  

Near new sliding glass doors that will open to a deck yet to be built, there's a  dining table whose top was crafted from wooden beams reclaimed when their ceiling was lifted. The family can have casual meals at the kitchen island, which houses a five-burner gas cooktop.

The focal point of the new open plan is an angular fireplace whose black granite face and hearth shelf are enhanced by an asymmetrical stone wrap from Artistic Tile.

"The fireplace brings all the elements of the design together," Servos says. 

Gary Odendahl of River's Edge Woodworks in Passaic built custom cabinetry around the fireplace. He finished a section of low cabinetry in high-gloss white, marrying it to the kitchen's white lacquer in a space painted in Benjamin Moore's Stone Harbor gray and Brittany blue.

Horizontal lines are prevalent in the design, guiding the room's proportions while complementing the home's mid-century architecture, says Servos, who cites design and engineering training in her native Germany. On one wall above the sofa, she had six casement windows installed. Different sizes form what appears as a dramatic larger window. 

Rohmann said they appreciate the many efficiencies Servos incorporated into their first floor, recalling German homes that tend to be smaller.

While Rohmann says their Italian kitchen came with a sobering dose of sticker shock, they selected it for both aesthetic and environmental reasons.

"We wanted something modern, but with low VOCs and no formaldehyde, she said. "We like the really modern style. We wanted to embrace Mid-Century Modern but to be a little more contemporary." The wood look of the cabinetry's finish reminds her of a weathered beach cottage. "We really love it."

What they renovated

The first floor of their 4-bedroom, 2-and-a-half-bathroom house.

Who did the work

Lemon Grass Interior Architecture and Design, with construction by Statewide Contracting, and carpentry by River's Edge Woodworks

How long it took

About six months, from September 2013 to February 2014

What they spent

$100,000

Where they splurged

The kitchen cabinetry from Italy.

How they saved

"We had very little tile backsplash," said Kate Rohmann

What they like most

"We really love how all three rooms work together as one space," she said.

Kimberly L. Jackson may be reached at home@starledger.com. Find NJ.com Entertainment on Facebook.

Two men tried to steal a car and rob its occupants with a handgun, police say.

NEWARK -- A pair's attempt to steal a car on Saturday went awry when one of its occupants stabbed the two men with a box cutter, police said.  

Newark police say around 9:30 a.m. two men flagged down three occupants riding in a car and asked them for a ride. The two men knew one of the vehicle's occupants, according to police.

As the car came to a stop at the intersection of Keer Avenue and Hobson Place, the two men flashed a handgun and demanded the occupants give them the car keys, cell phones and wallets, police said.

The three occupants agreed to hand over those items but afterwards one of the men picked up a box cutter from the car's floor and "repeatedly" slashed the alleged carjackers, police said. They then all fled the scene.

Police responded to the intersection and located the two alleged carjackers, who were both bleeding. Nadir Morris, 19, and a 17-year-old man, were arrested and charged with robbery, carjacking, conspiracy and weapons offenses.

Police said they also recovered a .32-caliber handgun used in the carjacking and the personal items taken from the victims.  

Morris and the 17-year-old, whose identity was withheld because he's a minor, were taken to University Hospital in Newark and treated for knife wounds that were not life-threatening.

The investigation is ongoing.

Authorities asked that anyone with information about this or any other crime to contact the Newark Police Department's 24-hour Crime Stoppers' tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867). All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential, police said. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The department said it acted on neighbors' complaints of late night drinking and noise coming from Mi Ranchito restaurant in Newark's Ironbound section

Undercover cops determined this social club in Newark was being operated as an illegal after-hours bar on Sunday morning, then called in uniformed reinforcements to shut the place down and arrest its two operators, police said.Google 

NEWARK -- Police say the Mi Ranchito Social Club in Newark's Ironbound section was shut down early Sunday morning and two of its operators were arrested on charges it was operating as an illegal after-hours bar.

Acting on neighbors' complaints of noise and drinking late into the night, undercover detectives from the Newark Police Department's special enforcement unit went to Mi Ranchito's small storefront on Thomas Street just after midnight on Sunday morning, police said.

"Undercover police officers posing as customers were able to enter the restaurant with other patrons," read an announcement Sunday evening by Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. "Once inside, the officers observed the bartender and owner, later identified a David Alvarez and a worker, Maria Benitez, illegally selling alcohol to the patrons."

Ambrose said backup officers then arrived at the club and arrested the owner, Alvarez, and the bartender, Benitez.

In addition to closing the place, police said officers confiscated more than $460 in cash and 240 bottles of Modelo beer, 48 bottles of Heineken, 480 bottles of Corona, and 13 bottles of gin, tequila, vodka, cognac, rum and others hard liquor.

Alvarez, 45, of Newark, was charged with maintaining an unlicensed liquor establishment, illegally selling alcohol and unlawful possession of alcohol. Benitez, 32, also of Newark, was charged with aiding and abetting an unlicensed liquor establishment. 

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

While processing the 23-year-old Pennsylvania man on weapons possession and drug distribution charges, police learned he was wanted by Wyomissing, Pa., in a homicide there

NEWARK -- Newark police acting on a tip arrested a 23-year-old Pennsylvania man carrying a handgun loaded with hollow point bullets and selling heroin and cocaine, before then learning he was wanted for a homicide in his home state, the department announced. 

Officers had gone to the 200 block of South 11th Street on a report of an individual selling drugs from teh front porch of a house, and approached a man matching a description given by the caller, Newark Police said.

After questioning the man, later identified as Melvin Morris, the officers searched him and found a loaded .38 caliber handgun, as well as 24 bags of heroin and 25 vials of cocaine, police said. Police officers also confiscated $500 in cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of the drugs.

While processing Morris, officers learned he was wanted by the Wyomissing, Pa., Police Department on a warrant issued JUne 16 in connection with a homicide there.
A Newark police spokesman could not immediately provide information on the homicide in Pennsylvania.

Wyomissing Police did not return a message left Sunday night.

New Jersey charges against Morris include possession of heroin and cocaine, and possession of both drugs with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school,  resisting arrest, weapons charges including possession of hollow point bullets, and obstruction of justice, police said.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose commended the "quick and dedicated efforts" of the arresting officers.

"Morris definitely posed a threat to our residents," Ambrose said.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Dogs and cats from northern and central New Jersey in need of adoption.

While New Jersey was never known as "Hurricane Alley," recent visits by hurricanes Irene and Sandy as well as the current situation with Hurricane Matthew in southern states have shown that big storms call for preparations.

These recent storms have led to many of us learning more about being prepared as people ... it's also important to consider preparing for pets' needs in the event of another big blow.

Experts from BluePearl Veterinary Partners have put together some tips for pet owners that apply to natural disasters including hurricanes, floods and earthquakes:

* Make sure that people who have agreed to give you a place to stay if you have to leave your home can also accept your pets; during a storm is not the time to discover unknown pet allergies.

* Knowing in advance of any pet-friendly hotels in your area could make a big difference if friends and relatives are also escaping the situation.

* If you've prepared an emergency 'kit' for you and your family, make sure it has items for your pets including food bowls, resealable bags that can hastily be filled with food, toys and blankets or bedding.

* Store your pet's veterinary documents where you keep your own important papers; should your home be damaged in a storm, those important items could be destroyed.

Hoping that a boarding facility or veterinarian's office will be open and available when a storm approaches or is in progress is not planning; pets are members of a family and deserve to be a part of your emergency preparation plan.

Here's a gallery of pets in need of adoption in northern and central New Jersey. More homeless pets can be viewed by clicking here and here.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

The officer was criminally charged in the incident, and has since entered into a plea deal with the state, the suit says.

ORANGE -- An Essex County woman has filed a federal lawsuit alleging a police officer groped her during a traffic stop last year.

Arias-Vasquez. (Essex County Prosecutor's Office)

Orange police officer Ricardo Arias-Vasquez was charged in December 2015 with criminal sexual contact and witness tampering after the woman reported the incident.

Arias-Vasquez, 35, of Newton, was sentenced last month to two years of probation after pleading guilty to the lesser witness tampering charge, according to criminal court records. He also forfeited his right to hold public office, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed.

The federal lawsuit filed by the woman, who is listed only by her initials, references the guilty plea in the criminal case and names Arias-Vasques, the city of Orange and the city's police department as defendants.

The woman was driving in the area of Henry Street on Nov. 18, 2015 when she was pulled over by Arias-Vasquez, who was in uniform and on patrol, according to the suit.

During the stop, Arias-Vasquez reached into the car through the driver's side window, groped her breasts and the area of her genitals, the lawsuit states. The officer left after the plaintiff begged him to stop, the suit states.

The lawsuit alleges that Arias-Vazquez had been drinking while on duty at the nearby El Rodeo Bar. The lawsuit claims illegal activity was going on the bar and other officers were involved, though those activities are not detailed.

Orange mayor taps brother to lead PD

When the woman reported the incident at the police station, she was arrested and accused of lying about a police officer, according the lawsuit.

She also received a threatening phone call from a bar employee while at police headquarters, the lawsuit states. The woman recorded the call and turned them over to police, the lawsuit states. The bar is also named as a defendant in the woman's lawsuit.

Arias-Vasquez is also named as a defendant in a separate federal lawsuit alleging excessive force that remains pending, according to court records.

A West Orange resident filed the suit alleging he was riding a bicycle in September 2013 when Arias-Vasquez struck him with a patrol car and dragged his body while making an arrest on a drug charge.

A city spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the suits Monday morning. The bar owners could not immediately be reached for comment.

Arias-Vasquez earned $57,100 as an officer, according to state pension records.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A look at 20 big N.J. performances in college football this weekend.

A look at the lessons on the trails this past week

Authorities said the 38-year-old was shot and killed Sunday night.

IRVINGTON -- Authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of a 38-year-old man Sunday night at an apartment on Crescent Lane, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office said a 38-year-old man died of a gunshot wound Sunday night after a shooting at an Irvington apartment complex.

Irvington police officers responded to the apartment at about 10:15 p.m. after receiving a report of a shooting, officials said.

Officers found Lawrence W. Bennett unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

Bennett, of Irvington, was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:35 p.m., according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly.

The shooting is being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Task Force and the Irvington Police Department. No other information was available Monday morning, authorities said.

Authorities have asked anyone with information to call the Prosecutor's Tips Line at 877-847-7432.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A Seton Hall study examined 40,000 landlord-tenant suits filed in Essex County.

SOUTH ORANGE -- Most tenants living without heat or hot water, with mold or rodent infestations, or in other substandard conditions are overwhelmingly unaware of their legal rights.

That's one of the conclusions of a Seton Hall University School of Law study, "The Implied Warranty of Habitatability Lives: Making Real the Promise of Landlord/Tenant Reform," which will be published this month in the "Rutgers Law Review."

In the study's examination of the 40,000 residential eviction proceedings carried out in Essex County in 2014, only 80 of the tenants used what is called the "implied warranty of habitatability" defense, which allows for tenants to legally withhold rent if they are subjected to substandard living conditions.

The 0.002% statistic is "startling," the study concludes, given the "far greater statistical likelihood that significant housing code violations exist on leased premises in Essex County."

According to Paula Franzese, the Seton Hall law professor who co-authored the report with Abbot Gorin, a staff attorney with Essex-Newark Legal Services and Seton Hall law student David Guzik, there is no precise way to know exactly how many people in and around Newark are living in substandard conditions. But that, she said, is part of the problem that the study seeks to solve.

Tenants is rat-infested 'slum' get help

"Our difficulty (in finding information about the rental housing stock) is a testament to the lack of...access to hard and fast data," Franzese said.

The study calls for several changes, including the creation of a database to track the affordable housing stock and landlord violations. The study also calls for new policies that would cut violating landlords off from continuing to receive governmental rent subsidies, and put an end to "blacklisting" clients who have been late on rent payments in the past.

Paula Franzese. (Courtesy Seton Hall) 

Lawyers should also become more involved in representing low-income tenants, according to the study.

In landlord-tenant cases, about 99 percent of landlords are represented by lawyers, according to Franzese. But, only 1 percent of tenants are, she said.

"This (study) began with the desire to give a voice to the many tenants...(who have) the system stacked against them," the professor said.

The authors plan to proposition both the city of Newark and New Jersey lawmakers to make the changes proposed in the document, Franzese said.

Though city officials were not immediately available to comment, Mayor Ras Baraka has conducted several high profile crackdowns of "slum" apartments throughout his administration, condemning landlords who provide substandard living conditions to their tenants.

"It's a new day and (we) aren't going to tolerate this stuff," Baraka said last year during one of the raids.

A look at which NJ natives had strong showings in NFL action over the weekend.

The university says it's commencement speaker's mission is especially relevant to its diverse student body.

NEWARK -- A national leader in bridging cultural divisions will be the commencement speaker this spring at Rutgers University's Newark campus.

Eboo Patel, chief executive officer of the Interfaith Youth Core, will deliver the keynote address at the May 17 ceremony and receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, according to Rutgers. 

Patel tries to find collaboration rather than conflict in discussions about religion, and Interfaith Youth Core develops models for interfaith support on college campuses. President Barack Obama picked Patel to lead the White House Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge.  

Such work makes Patel an ideal candidate to speak at a diverse campus like Rutgers-Newark, Chancellor Nancy Cantor said.   

"His message and mode of promoting change through intergroup dialogue are deeply meaningful," Cantor said. 

Patel was approved as the speaker at Friday's university Board of Governors meeting in Camden. 

Rutgers-Newark will also award an Honorary Doctor of Science degree to Arthur James Hicks, program director of the National Science Foundation's Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP).

The program is aimed at increasing the number of minority students who graduate with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

Both Patel and Hicks were nominated by members of Rutgers-Newark community and selected from a pool of candidates evaluated by an committee of faculty, staff, and students.    

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Before its new conductor takes over next month, NJSO was led by outgoing associate conductor Gemma New for its weekend performance

Nothing is new forever -- even when you're playing music that's more than a century old. 

This weekend marked the last series of concerts before Xian Zhang begins her tenure at the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. In a fitting move, the NJSO had outgoing associate conductor Gemma New lead these concerts, before Maestra Zhang takes the baton later this month.

New's tenure with the NJSO has been a time of rising stature for her: a 2013 WQXR news story declared her one of the "top five women conductors on the rise,"; in 2014 she was selected as a prestigious Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The concert heard Saturday night at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank showed exactly why she's in demand right now.

Interestingly, New is very much the opposite of Gustavo Dudamel, who she worked with in Los Angeles (and who was in New York last week, appearing on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and conducting at the Carnegie Hall Gala). Dudamel's fame is all about his ability to whip almost every piece he plays into a sonic frenzy.

New, on the other hand, seems less interested in expressing her own views on the music, but rather bringing the music as written into the clearest possible focus.  Indeed, it's hard to recall a night when the orchestra sounded more precise, or more in-synch. 

Sometimes the results were highly satisfying, like in the opening number, a rarely heard New Zealand composition from 1940. Performed for the first time by the NJSO this weekend, Douglas Lilburn's nine-minute "Aotearoa Overture" was an inspired choice. No doubt the New Zealand-born New enjoys playing this work.  From the gentle theme played by the wind section to the dark cello notes, New made this modest piece -- which is very much in the old-fashioned English pastoral style of Arnold Bax or Ralph Vaughn Williams -- feel immediate and full.

News' exactitude and miniturism was less effective in the next work on the program, Grieg's ubiquitous Piano Concerto. For 28 minutes, New and pianist Stewart Goodyear made Grieg's almost 150-year old whirlwind of romanticism sound oddly formal, like a Haydn or Mendelssohn symphony.

Luckily, in a piano passage just as the piece was coming to completion, Goodyear brought an unexpected jolt of expression to his playing. This seemed to inspire New to stop conducting in perfect, polite synch with her soloist. What followed were two minutes of fiery playing with New and Goodyear each trying to push each other harder.and Grieg's vast score welcomed this competition.

After intermission, Sibelius' Second Symphony showed the limits of New's precision style. The soft waves of sound that open this symphony sounded lovely and brimmed with confidence; it felt like stepping into a familiar body of water after a long absence. New was in complete control of the details, but seemed uninterested in the architecture of the piece as a whole. As such, this noble 45-minute masterpiece felt like an exercise. To make the Sibelus #2 sound small is no easy feat.

Credit New, though, with an interesting program. After five years performing with the NJSO, she's now an old friend. Even though she recently accepted a new job as the resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony, her bio in the program noted: "She maintains a close relationship with the NJSO." And the orchestra clearly feels the same way -- she'll be back with the NJSO in February.

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

Grieg Piano Concerto with Stewart Goodyear

Oct. 8, Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank

James C. Taylor can be reached writejamesctaylor@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

The bribery charges in Thursday's superseding indictment concern payments to Menendez's recall-defense fund

NEWARK -- More than a year after a judge dismissed four counts of bribery in the corruption case against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Florida ophthalmologist Dr. Salomon Melgen, a federal grand jury Thursday renewed the accusations in a superseding indictment.

Menendez, a Democrat from Paramus, was originally indicted in April 2015 along with Melgen, who prosecutors allege gave the senator more than $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions in exchange for Menendez intervening in federal matters involving Melgen.

The bribery charges returned in Thursday's superseding indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court in Newark, concern a $20,000 payment Melgen made to the Fund to Uphold the U.S. Constitution, a trust formed by the senator "to defray the outstanding costs of a politically charged recall effort," according to a motion filed by Menendez's defense team in July 2015.

Defense attorneys argued the original indictment on those allegations didn't identify an explicit quid pro quo arrangement in Melgen's donations to the fund, effectively criminalizing normal political finance practices.

Judge William H. Walls agreed in part, and in September 2015 dismissed the four original bribery counts involving the legal fund, ordering all references to Melgen's donations to the fund be removed from the indictment.

The two new counts in Thursday's superseding indictment specifically claim that Menendez sought and Melgen gave $20,000 to the fund in May 2012 exchange for the senator's advocacy to the State Department on Melgen's behalf in a contract dispute involving the government of the Dominican Republic and a company Melgen was affiliated with.

A separate $20,000 payment to the fund, allegedly made in September 2011, is no longer referenced in the new indictment, prosecutors said in a brief filed with the court.

Prosecutors have said Menendez received everything from luxury hotel stays to cash donations from Melgen in exchange for, among other favors, helping obtain visas for Melgen's foreign girlfriends and intervening in Medicare's audit of the physician.

Melgen, who has been reported to be the highest reimbursed physician in the country, is also charged in a separate $190 million federal fraud case now scheduled for trial in March 2017 in Florida.

Menendez has argued his alleged interactions with federal agencies on Melgen's behalf amounted to protected legislative information gathering.

After an unsuccessful appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in an attempt to have the case thrown out, Menendez and his defense team reportedly were considering appealing the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Menendez's attorney, Abbe David Lowell of the Washington firm Chadbourne & Parke, did not immediately return messages left by phone and email Monday.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Newark's Weequahic High School marching band didn't feel like one for five years until it debuted new uniforms and instruments that were purchased after the alumni association started a $30,000 fundraising campaign.

All they wanted was to look like a band -- and to feel like one, too. 

On Friday night in Newark, the Weequahic High School marching band finally got a chance to experience the musical tradition of Indian nation.

They had extra bounce in their step and played a little louder as they debuted new uniforms during a home football game at Untermann Field.

"We looked good for the first time,'' said Stephon Waddell, a 17-year senior and trumpet player. "We looked like superstars out there.''

What's the big deal? Why should we care about what a bunch of high school musicians are wearing?

Well, those stylish orange and brown outfits -- which filled the band members with pride and confidence -- exist because of you, the reader. 

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

I wrote a column last year about the dedication of these kids to stay in the band despite their less-than-ideal appearance. Many of you read the piece and opened your wallets -- to donate $30,000 -- so the band could look like a million bucks and play instruments that didn't appear as if they were held together with tape and glue.

For five years, they had resembled anything but a band.

"They looked like a bunch kids playing instruments, walking up the street,'' said Darryl Taylor, the assistant band director.

After the official uniforms fell apart, band members wore track suits, then orange jumpsuits that resembled prison gear. Khaki pants and polo shirts were a little better, but they were replaced with orange hooded sweatshirts and brown sweatpants that quickly faded.   

The band, however, stuck together and continued to practice  -- even when they hadn't performed in seven games. There weren't enough uniforms for everyone to wear and several instruments needed to be repaired. The students leaned on Taylor, who has been the force to keep them from quitting.

An alumnus of the band, his 29 years of volunteering shows that he cares. His commitment is a gift for band director Michael Page, who leads the music program that steers these kids off the streets.  Both men spend two hours, sometimes more, after school practicing with the young people, who also receive coaching from Taylor's son, Darryl Jr.; and his brother, Jamal Littles; and other alumni who were in the band.

When the story appeared, the Weequahic High School Alumni Association was stunned to learn about the band's struggles. Its members immediately started a campaign that gained support in a hurry.

Joanne Williams, a 1984 graduate, hit up Newark bodegas, collecting $1,700 on her own in a weekend. The Newark Police Department jumped in and the city fire department raked in funds at busy city intersections and highway exits.

One reader paid the $3,000 bill for new drums and harnesses. The band also had appeared on "The Meredith Vieira Show" to talk about their situation. 

"Look at them,'' Williams said Friday night. "They look beautiful.''

They were sharp.

Gold and white plumes stood upright on their gold and white hats. Fastened to the front of their brown jackets, with gold buttons, was an orange and white overlay bearing the letters WHS. An orange stripe ran down the side of brown pants that stopped at white spats covering their shoes.

"These uniforms look so dope," said Nadiyyah Smith, a 17-year-old senior who plays clarinet.

"Dope" is a good thing, in case you were wondering.

Beverly Thomas, class of 1982, had a one-word review, too.

"Fabulous,'' Thomas said.  

"I just pray they take advantage of this opportunity and take care of them,'' she said. 

It's probably a safe bet that these uniforms stand a greater chance than the last ones, considering what the band has been through, and, for instance, Taylor's rules on what  cannot be eaten when they are worn.

No chocolate, no soda, no mustard, ketchup or hot sauce -- and absolutely nothing with grease.

Taylor is so meticulous about their appearance that he is having capes made and looking for shoulder chords.  He ran around all day before the game, looking for white gloves to make the uniform as complete as possible.

Every detail goes a long way to achieve a certain look. In the stands, the band was poised and disciplined, their attitude soaring.

"They're sitting like they supposed to sit,'' Page said.  "They are aware that they are looking right.''

The seniors couldn't wait for this moment. None had ever worn a uniform; some weren't even sure how to put it on. But now, they get to finish their last year in style. 

MORE CARTER: A Newark park in need of another life line

Brianna Bell, 17, soaked it all in, pushing past her bothersome sinus problems. "It (playing) took my mind off of it,'' said Bell, a senior and baritone horn player. "I enjoyed it.''

Everyone had a good time. The football team routed Cedar Grove High School, 42-0, to stay undefeated at 4-0.

After the game, the band continued the celebration. The drummers marched around cars stopped at the a nearby traffic light. The rest of the band marched on the sidewalk until everyone came together at the high school entrance.

There, they danced their way down a "Soul Train" line. It took five years for them to feel this kind of joy, to feel like they finally belonged.

The truth of the matter is that they were legit all along. 

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

At least one N.J. district has already done it.

MONTCLAIR -- The Halloween costume that's all the rage this year? Well, one is certainly causing rage, and rules against it.

Montclair Public Schools made headlines last week after prohibiting students from wearing clown costumes to school on Halloween, a reaction to the rash of creepy clown hoaxes, threats, and attacks that have plagued the country.

School bans clown costumes

In a letter to parents, the district's interim superintendent said that children who do go to school dressed as clowns will be asked to change, or leave school.

NJ.com readers were split on the rule, with some calling the rule "ridiculous" and an overreaction, and others saying that it is a good idea, and could protect kids who innocently dress up as clowns, and get attacked by others who are frightened.

Sound off with your opinion on the great clown debate of Halloween 2016 in the poll and comments section below.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.